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Willard boat ramp and catfish
#1
It was a strange feeling pulling into the north marina without my boat in tow,  but I haven't been there in a month and wasn't sure of the ramp. After seeing the ramp and the lack of dock space I think it was a good idea. When I was there in July someone backed a ski boat off the side of the ramp where the rock pile is, they actually backed over the construction candle with the boat trailer tire.

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I parked the truck by the fish cleaning station at 7:00 a.m. and loaded fishing gear into my yard wagon for some catfish bank tangling. South of Eagle Beach a gravely peninsula extends westward so I headed for it. I had baited and cast the second rod and while setting it down the first rod was pulled over the wagon and was headed for the murky depths when I caught it at waters edge. A lively 19" cat was pulled onto the beach at 7:30 and loaded onto the stringer. Ten minutes later the scene was repeated and a 20" cat volunteered for dinner. Over the next hour and a half two more cats were landed and released, a 22" and 24".

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I was amazed at how hard the fish were hitting and running, there was no tap, tap, tap, just bam........and gone.
Someone else mentioned the dead shad on shore and there was a bunch of them, which might explain why the fish were in so shallow.

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  Although I did miss not being in the boat I didn't miss cleaning it out and putting it away.
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#2
Nice work.  That point is a good spot for bank tanglers during low water periods.  There is some deeper water fairly close to shore so you don't have to cast a mile to be in productive water.  I almost always fish through there on my way to other areas...in my float tube...and it is rare that I don't get some fishy love.  In fact, as the water gets colder it can be worthwhile for crappies, perch and even walleye and wipers.
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#3
Pat,
Are you talking about the point adjacent to the channel? I tried that spot as well and only had one bite, looked like a juvenile cat. My fish were caught north of there in about 3 to 4 feet of water, I think, it took 2 seconds for a 1 ounce sinker to hit bottom. A fisherman in a pontoon ran over my baited hook on his way to fishy pastures, I thought about asking him how deep it was but I couldn't think of a nice way to ask.
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#4
(08-22-2021, 10:32 PM)thatchergreg Wrote: Pat,
Are you talking about the point adjacent to the channel? I tried that spot as well and only had one bite, looked like a juvenile cat. My fish were caught north of there in about 3 to 4 feet of water, I think, it took 2 seconds for a 1 ounce sinker to hit bottom. A fisherman in a pontoon ran over my baited hook on his way to fishy pastures, I thought about asking him how deep it was but I couldn't think of a nice way to ask.

Yes.  From that point you can fish due west...in the "trough" that runs parallel to the shore for a ways.  Or, you can cast out into the channel.  Just gotta find where the fish are.  And as you discovered, they ain't always in deeper water.

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A "diplomatic" inquiry to a clueless fellow angler..."Hey, since you are right on top of my line, would you mind telling me how deep the water is there?"  A snarky reply is worthy of a rock skipping contest.

By the way, there is a similar slightly deeper trough just offshore from Eagle Beach...toward the NE corner.  It can be several feet deep fairly close to shore and the area does tend to attract bait items and predators.  A good place to fish fligs or a baited jig below a bobber.

It is going to be interesting to see how the fishing develops as the water levels continue to drop.  I have had experience with some extreme low water years in the past and they can be either good or bad.  Duh.  It is helpful to know the bottom contours and to be able to employ good electronics to find where the fish are hanging out.  I have seen schools of crappie hanging in water less than 2' deep in late fall.  And I have caught late fall wipers in water barely 3' deep.  But the best late fall fishing for me has been finding schools of big perch in only a few feet of water on some of the humps outside Eagle Beach.  Bring it on.  Have tube, will travel.
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#5
Good job! I found them the other day at the same spot.
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